Improvement in knob-latch and lock



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. I. LUDLOW. Rmb, Latch, and Lock@ Patented Feb.'12, 1878.

llllllls ".FETERS, PHOTO-UTHDGRAPHER WASH NGTON D C 2 Sheets-Shee-t 2 W.I. LUDLOW. Knob, Latoh,'a,nd Look.

No. 200,318. Patemd-Feb.12,1.:378.v

.PETERS, PHOT0-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C with the lock-case fboltwork or tumblers,

.boltoperating lug,

UNITED STATES 1 WASHINGTON 1...'LUDL`OW, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK."

PATENT OEEIOE.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNOB-LATCH AND LOCK'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,318, dated February12, 1878; application filed January 1 1, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: A Beit known'that I, WASHINGTON I. LUD-` ILOW, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Knob- Latch and Lock, ofwhichA the following is a bined; and it consists, iirst, in thecombination, with a hollouT or tubular knob-spindle having a suitableopening or openings, of tumblers orbolts arranged within said spindle,and adapted for operation by a suitable key, so

that they may be projected through the said openin g or openings, toengage with catches or @stops which prevent the rotation of the spindie,for the purpose of operating a latch or lock-bolt; second, in a hollowlatch-operating spindle, independent of the opposite .knobspindle of itslock orV case, and provided, with suitable apertures, and havingtumblers .or bolts inclosed therein, and anl operatingknob having acentral key-hole, through which a key maybe inserted into said spindleto actuate the inclosed bolts or tumblers, for engaging with ordisengaging from stops or catches; third, in the combination, with alock or latch case composed of two cylindrical parts having innershoulders at their outer ends, of knob-spindles having enlarged innerends, which will not pass through the shouldered ends of saidcylindrical parts, so that the spindles may be inserted through the saidparts from the inside thereof before the same are joined together, butcannot be removed outwardly; fourth, inthe combination,with a lock-case,of a knob-spindle having a central longitudinal passage opening into thebolt-chamber to the rear end of the bolt when projected, so that a keymay be insertedA through said spindle and across the path of the bolt,whereby the said bolt is prevented :from being retracted 5 fifth, in thecombination, constructed substantially as described, and inclosing achamber open-l ing into a contracted portion forming a spindle bearing,of a tubular knob-spindle, inclosing and having its inner end providedwitha head or ange carrying a and closed at its said inner end, toprevent tampering with the lock-bolt 'by an instrument inserted throughtheetubular portion of said spindle; sixth, in the combination,inalock,of a series of loose tumblers, arranged -i11:contact with\ each other,and a compressing-spring, whereby said tumblers are held closelytogether in any position, but permitting lateral independent movementthereof by'a suitable key, so that when one or more of lsaid tumblers ismoved in attempting .to

pick the lock other tumblers will be also moved by the friction ofadjacent surfaces.

In'the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central longitudinal sectionof the lock-case,

one of the spindles, and the bolt-chamber.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the tumbler andbolt-carryingspindle, showin gthe key in positionto hold the tumbler-bolts in aretracted position.4 Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the tumbler andbolt-carrying spindle vsurrounded by that portion of the `case nwhicharelocated the bolt-catches.y Fig. 4 is a view,

'in elevation, of the lock and latch case, with the two parts composingit partly unscrewed. Fig. 5 is a diametric section of thetumblerchamber. Fig. 6 is a view, in elevation, of one of the knobs aswhen the lock is applied to a door, the bolt shown projected. Fig. 7 isa vertical section, showing the bolt and stops or shoulders at its innerend. Fig. 8 shows the bolt detached. Fig. 9 ifs an end view of the 'boltsurrounded by its inclosing-shell.`

The letter A indicates the lock-case, composed of the tubular parts A1A2, held together bythe engagement of an internal screw-thread in thepart A1 with an external thread on the part A2. Both of these parts areprovided with flanges a, which are brought snugly against the oppositesides of the door when the parts are screwed together in use, and thepart A1 has splines or ridges a projecting outwardly therefrom, to takeinto the. wood of the door and prevent said part from turning.

In4 applying the case to a door the part A1 is inserted flrst into asuitable aperture, and the other part, at the proper time, is screwedtherein. The outer portions of the openings of these parts arecontracted, as shown at m, to form bearings for the tubularknob-spindles B B', to the outer screw -threaded ends of which areattachedthe knobs b b', entirely through which the spindles extend, andthe inner ends of said spindles are provided with circular heads orfianges C G', having a diam; eter equal to that of the chamber of thecase A. From each of these heads or flanges projects a segmental lug, cand c', the outer curved surfaces of which slide against the innersurface of the case when the spindles are rotated.

D is the bolt, which is arranged in an open.- ing, d, cut or bored fromthe edge of the door, to intersect the aperture in which the case isplaced. The inner portion of this bolt is flattened, and projects intothe chamber of' the case A through an opening in the wall of the partA1, and the end of said flattened portion is enlarged edgewise to form anat head, E, the rear edge oi' which is curved to correspond to theinner surface of the case.

From this curved edge segmental flanges e c project laterally inopposite directions, formingv a double hook, or two hooks at each sideof said head, which stands liatwise between the ends of fthe lugs c c',which project from q the heads or flanges of the spindles B and B', sothat when either spindle is rotated in either direction its lug willstrike the projecting flange or hook which is across its path, and thusforce the bolt inward. Around said bolt, outside of' the case A, isplaced a spiral spring, F, one end of' which abuts against the wall ofsaid case, and the other against the shoulders f f of the bolt,'andserving to project the bolt and keep it out, when not retracted byturning one of the spindles.

In the opening in the door in which the bolt is arranged is placed athimble or shell, G, having its outer end closed except a diametricslot, g, through which the bolt plays, and upon this end is formed anange, g', which should rest snugly against the edge of the door.

As shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7 ,this thimble or shell may extendinward to the case A, so that the whole of the bolt will be inclosedexcept the projected portion, and effectually guardedagainstinterferencebyboringthrough the door.

The interior of the inner end of` the spindle B is formed into arectangular chamber, h, as shown in the sectional view, Fig. 5, and fromthe opposite sides of' this chamber slots h are cut through the wall ofthe spindle. Within this chamber is arranged a series of tumblers, I,each of which consists of arectangular frame having a width somewhatless than that of the chamber, but of such length that its ends willslide against the adjacent walls of said chamber. From opposite sidesofl these tumblers project arms or bolts i i', which extend through theslots in the spindle, and the distance between the outer ends of theseslots is approximately equal to the diameter of the spindle, but may beslightly less, though never greater. The arms or bolts of each tumblerin a series may be different in length from those of any other tumblerin the same series, and I prefer to so have them, so that whenthe outerends of all said bolts or arms in a series are even with the peripheryof the spindle the edges of no two of the tumblers will coincide or beeven within the chamber; nor will their edges coincide when all the saidarms or bolts arel projected Van equal distance through the slots in thespindle. When so projected and the spindle is in its bearing, the

bolts or arms extend into recesses 7c of corre-` sponding width cut inopposite sides of the inner surface of said bearing, and prevent thespindle from turning. The positions of these recesses are such that thetumbler-bolts can only be projected when the spindle B and its lug c arein position to permit the door-bolt D to be projected, as shown inFig. 1. When the proper number of tumblers has been placed in thetumbler-chamber a dished metal spring, s, is placed withthe edges of itsconcave side against the outer tumbler of' the series, and the chamberis then closed by a disk, l, which is secured by screws to the flange orhead C', and compresses the spring sufficiently to hold the tumblerssnugly in contact with each other, but permit their lateral movement tothe wards of a suitable-key, which will `move them simultaneously.

The pressure of the spring should be such that should one tumbler bemoved, as in an attempt to pick the lock, the friction of adjacentsurfaces would cause other tumblers to move in the same direction, sothat the separate displacement of the tumblers to obtain ac-l cess tothe bolt is practically impossible ex-4 cept by a proper key.

The tumblers, formed from blanks all of' which are formed by the samedie, and with equal arms of' such length that were the blankplaced'edgewise/ against the wall of' the tumbler-chamber and the end ofone arm even with the periphery of the spindle, the other arm wouldproject through its slot beyond the periphery, as shown in dotted lines,Fig. 5. Now, having placed in the tumbler-chamber a sufficient numberof' blanks to form the required series of tumblers and bolts, a key isselected from a lot for the lock.

I prefer to use a flat key, which should have cut in each edge, at itsend, a number of' wards equal to the number of tumblers, and the facesof these wards which are to come in contact with the edges of thetumblers should each correspond in extent with the thickness of atumbler, and each ward should have a corresponding opposite projection,so that the distance across the key between the opposite faces of eachward and its said corresponding projection should equal the distancebetween the inner edges of each tumbler, as shown at k in the key K,Figs. 2 and 3; but these opposite edges need not be in line with similaredges of any other ward and projection, and I prefer that they shouldnot. Such a key, having its wards and projections variously arranged,being inserted through the spindle and turned at right angles to theedges of the tumblers, the alternate arms of each series with theirbolts or arms, are

will be moved in opposite directions, and vWhile in this position shouldall be cut even with the periphery of the spindle, and this will then bethe position of the key and tumblers when the spindle is unlocked andpermitted to turn in its bearing. Now reverse the position of the key,and the alternate tumblers will bemoved again in opposite directions,the reverse of their iirst movement, and alternate bolts of each serieswill be projected through the slots of the 'spindle a sufficientdistance to engage into the recess in the spindle-bearing, and this willbe the position of the key and tumbler when the spindle is locked andprevented from turning for retracting the door-bolt.

It will'be now understood that while the combined length of the two armsor bolts of each tumbler equals that of the arms of every other.

tumbler in the series, the relative lengths of these arms may be quitediiferent.

The two spindles B B operate independently of each other, the lugs ofboth being in front of the anges or hooks of the bolt, so that eitherspindle may be rotated lin either direction to operate said bolt withoutdisturbing the other. For instance, while the spindle B is locked fromturning, the spindle B may be rotated to retract the bolt. This spindle,which is intended for the inner side* ofl a door, has no lockingtumblers and bolts, and the inner end of its tube is not closed, likethe end of spindle B', but is left open in order that the key may beinserted therethrough across the path of the door-bolt, as shown in Fig.l, which renders both spindles inoperative for retractin g the bolt, andthe door is thus locked from the inside.

l. The combination, with a hollenT or tubular knob-spindle, independentof the opposite knob-spindle of its case or lock, and having a suitablelateral opening or openings, of tumblers or bolts arranged within saidspindle and adapted for operation bya suitable key, so that they may beprojected through said opening or openings, to engage with catches orstops which prevent the rotation of the spindle, for the purpose ofoperating a latch or lock-bolt, substantially as set forth.

2. A hollow latch-operating spindleprovided with suitable apertures andhaving tumblers or bolts inclosed therein, and an operatingknob having acentral key-hole, through which a key may be inserted into said spindleto actuate the inclosed bolts or tumblers, for engaging with ordisengaging from stops or catches, substantially as described.

` 3. The combination, with a latch or lock case composed of two hollowcylindrical parts having inner shoulders at their outer ends, of knobspindles having enlarged inner ends which will not pass through theshouldered ends of said parts, so that the spindles may be insertedthrough said parts from the inside thereof before the sam/e are' joinedtogether, but cannot be removed outwardly, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a lock-case, of a knob-spindle having vacentral longitudinal passage opening into the bolt-chamber, to vthe rearof the end of the bolt when projected, substantially as described,whereby a key may be inserted through said spindle and across the pathof the bolt, to prevent retraction thereof.

5.- The combination, with the lock-case, constru cted substantially asdescribed, and inclosing a chamber opening into a contracted portionforming a spindle-bearing, of a tubular knob-spindle inclosing bolt-workor tumblers, and having its inner end provided with a head or flangecarrying a' bolt-operating lug, and closed at its said inner end, toprevent tampering with the lock-bolt by an instrument inserted throughthe tubular portion of said spindle, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a lock, of a series of loose tumblers, arrangedin' contact with each other, and a compressing-spring, whereby saidtumblers are held closely together in any po,.- sition, but permittinglateral independent movement thereof' by a suitable key, so that whenone or more of said tumblers is moved in attempting to pick the lock,other tumblers will be also moved by friction of the adjacent surfaces,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

' WASHINGTON I. LUDLOW. Witnesses:

JAMES L. NoRRIs, J Arras A. RUTHERFORD.

